Process of coking coal.



PATENTED MAR. 12, 1907.

S. B. SHELDON.

PROCESS OF COKING CUAL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2. 1907.

5 SEEETSSHEET 1.

NNN

VIL

PATENTED MAR. 12, 1907.

S. B. SHELDON..

PROCESS 0F COKING GOAL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1907.

1H: non/us ravens co., wnsmrzcww. D4 L No. 846,958. vPJFEIITED MAR. l2, 1907.l

S. B.- SHBLDON.

PROCESS 0F COKING COAL.

APPLICATION II'ED JAN. 2,1907.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PATENTED MAR. 12, 1907.

S. B. SHELDON.

PROCESS 0F COKING COAL.

APPLICATION FILED un. z. 1907.

-mc Nanms #grens co.. wAswNcraN. n, c.

PATENTED MAR. 12, 1907.

s. B. SHBLDCN. PROCESS CP CCKINC CCAL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2,1907.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- wg n UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

` SAMUEL B. SHELDON', OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

PROCESS oF comme ooAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 12, 1907.

Application filed Januar;` 2, 1907. Serial No. 350,409.

Coal; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

'This invention relates to improvements in the art of coking or distilling coal for the manufacture'of coke and the production of gas, and more especially to a process by which is saved or utilized the heat which remains in the coke at the end of the coking operation and which is lordinarily wasted.

.An apparatus is illustrated in the accompanying drawings for carrying out the lnovel process constituting my invention. Said apparatus embraces general features of construction as follows: For effectingthe coking or distillation of the coal a coking-oven is employed of the kind described 1n my prior application for United States Letters Patent, filed April 21, 1906, Serial N o. 313,072; but my invention may be carried out by the use of furnaces of other types. I have shown in the drawings and prefer to use the type of oven commonly known as the Otto Hoffman oven, in which the cokingchamber is arranged horizontally or is horizontally elongate( and is adapted for the introduction of coal at one end thereof and the discharge of coke from the opposite end.

thereof, the coal during the cokin operation being advanced along or throug the oven and said oven being closed against access of outside air and provided with delivery ducts or passages, through which pass the gases produced during the coking operation. The oven illustrated, moreover, consists of two parts or sections arranged end to end to form a continuous coking-chamber, the first of said sections, or the one adjacent to the receiving end of the oven, being provided with heating means and the sectlon adjacent to the discharge end of said oven being provided with cooling means, embracing airfiues in the walls of the oven, through which air is circulated to absorb or abstract the heat from the coke, as will be hereinafter:

more specifically described. In connection with said oven at thejreceiving end thereof are located means for forcing the coal into and through the oven, means for compressing the coal preparatory to its introduction into the oven, and means for preheating the coal after it is compressed and before it enters the oven. The coal feeding, compresslng, and preheating means embrace generally a receiving chamber, and a .tapered passage connecting said receiving and preheatin chambers,

which is larger at its receiving t ian at its delivery end. The said receiving-chamber, the tapered passage, and the pretlieating-chamber are connected with each other, so as to constitute a continuous passage, which at theklelivery end ofthe 'preheating-chamber. opens into the receiving end of the oven.

The receiving-chamber is provided atV its t'o' with an opening through which thewcoal chamber, a preheating-`v` preferably in pulverized form, may be 'intro-v f duced into said chamber, and in said receiv-E`V ing-chamber is located a horizontally-reciprccating plunger operating in its advance movements to force the char es of coal introduced into the chamber at t plunger through said tapered passage an the preheating -chamber intoy the coking e front of saidl chamber. The tapered sides'of the said pas- I sage constitute, in connection withsaid plun-i ger, the means for compressing the coal, their lnchned or tapered sides'of said passage servl" ing to effect compression cf the coal laterally or from the outside toward thecenter of the mass of coal as the latter is forced through' sald passage by the action of the plunger.

The walls of the preheating-chamber are;y preferably made of relatively thin metal and are surrounded by a circulating chamber adapted to receive heated air, said heated air being that which has been heated by circulation through the air-fines of the above-men'- tioned cooling-section of the oven, theheat derived from the coke in cooling the latter beingl transmitted through the said metal walls to the mass of coal within the preheating-chamher. The compacted mass of coal which enters the preheating-chamber from the said tapered passage in which it is compressed is subjected in its passage through the preheating-chamber to any desired degree of heat. Within said passage formed ylwthe receiving-chamber, the tapered passage, and the preheating-chamber are located a series of metal rods arranged parallel with the path of the coal and projecting from tl'i'er inner face of said plunger. Said rods serveto form con- IOO IIO

tinuous reforations or channels extending longitudinally through the compressed mass of coal as said mass is advanced toward and into the oven, the coal being compressed be.- tween or around the said rods in the advance movements of the plunger and the rods extending suchdistance toward or into the oven that the longitudinal passages or perforations formed by the action of said rods willn'ot'be closed by lateral pressure on the mass after the latter passes the free or advance ends of the rods. The passages or perforations so formed in the mass oi' coal by the rods referred to serve to facilitate the escape of gases and volatile matters from the coal and to thereby aid in the coking operation, while giving more uniform results in the coking of the mass, and especially the central part thereof. At the discharge or delivery end of the coking-chamber means are provide'dfor permitting the discharge of coke without the admission of air, the same preferably consisting 'of a depending delivery pipe ory passage provided with two valves, only one ofwhich is opened at a time during the discharge ofthe coke.

he Aoperation of the apparatus described nfcarrying out the process is practically continuousV and the cokingor distilling operation takes place without the admission of eX- ternalair to the oven. The entrance of air tothe receiving end of the oven is prevented livl'the solid mass of compressed coal which s the tapered compressing-passage and thel preheating-chamber, and access of air into the delivery end oi' the oven is prevented by the double valves in the discharge-duct, as hereinbefore described. The compressed and preheated mass of coal is advanced from the preheating-chamber into the oven by an intermittent or step-by-step movement produced by the reciprocati on of the feeding and compressing plunger, and such mass is advanced along or through the oven as the coking operation takes place, the gases generated being withdrawn continuously from the coking-chamber.

tt' is intended' that the coking operation shall take place mainly in that section of the coking-chamber which is adjacent to the receiving end of the oven, the section adjacent to the delivery end of said oven being maintained at a lower temperature, so that the mass 'of coke will be to a greater or less degree cooled before being discharged from the oven.

My invention may be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of an app aratus embodying my invention in longitudinal vertical section taken on a plane passing through the center of the coking-chamber of the oven on the line 1 1 of Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a like section taken on a plane passing through the heaty ing-iiues of the oven on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the l line 3 3 of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section tahen upon line 4 4 of ligs. 1 and at the recei-.ing ends of two of the ovens shown in rigs. 3 and 4, the parts for feeding, compressing, and preheating the coal employed in connection vwith one of the ovens being shown in horizontal section, taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a view of the parts at the receiving end of one of the ovens, showing said `parts partialiy in side elevation and partially in central vertical sectionon the line 1 1 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is across-section taken on line 7 7 of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 8 is a cross-section taken on line 8 8 of Figs. l and 2. Fig. 9 is an end view of the parts associated with one or' the ovens, taken upon line 9 9 of Fig. 6.

The coking-oven illustrated in' theaccompanying drawings is pro-vided with a'series of coking-chambers l l 1, which are arranged side by side as common in the construction of Otto Hoffman ovens; Each of the said coking-chambers is equipped with coal vfeeding, compressing, and preheating devices at the receiving end thereof and with a delivery device at its exit or discharge end, the drawing illustrating in full only one of said-coking-cliambers and its associated parts. In the walls of the oven which separate from each other the sections of the vcolring-'chamare formed vertical flues or heating-passages 2 2 2, and in the sections adjacent to the discharge ends of the oven are like fluesl 60 60, serving, however, as cooling-passages. The

unlform internal dimensions from their'receiving to their discharge ends, but the oven as a whole consists, in effect, of two sections arranged end to end, one of said'sections,

oven, being provided and the other section ccoling means.

The means for heating the'sections of the coking-chambers adjacent to thereceiving ends thereof, which willhereinafter bereferred to as the heating-section, consist of the following parts: Beneath the lieatir gsection of each coking-chamber 1 are locat( d twolongitudinally-arranged passages 3Y a1. d 4, separated from each other by a vertical transverse partition. Connected with seid chambers 3 a d 4 are two regenerators 5'a1 d 6 by means of passages 8 ai d 8, provid( d with gates or valves 9 a d 10. Said reger erators 5 at d 6 are located below ard eXtei d trai sversely of tle coking-chambers and contain the usual checker-work. Connected with the lower parts of the regererators are passages or lines 11 11 ard 12 12, wl'ich are adapted to be connected either with a stack with heating means being provided with 2. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the parts located bers adjacent to the receiving endsthereofEv colring-chambers 1 l 1 are continuous and of which is adjacent to the receiving endlof'thc IOC IIO

or chimney or with an air-inlet passage, as common in coking-ovens having two regenerators, as heretofore constructed. Be tween the longitudinal chambers or passages 3 and 4, associated with two adjacent cokingchambers, are located two longitudinal passagas 13 and 14, which communicate with the lower ends of the vertical Hues or passages 2 2 in the walls separating said chambers. Said passages 13 and 14 are se arated from each other by a vertical partition-wall 15 and by a horizontal partition 16, extending from the bottom of said wall 15 to the eX- ternal end wall of the oven, so that the lower part of said chamber 14 extends the full length of the oven-section. The chamber 3 is connected with the chamber 13 by holes or apertures 18 18 formed in the longitudinal wall between said chambers, and the chamber 4 is connected with the chamber 14 by like holes or apertures 19 19. Said chambers 13 and 14 constitute combustion-chambers in which gaseous fuel is burned, air for supporting combustion being supplied from tlie chambers 3 and 4 through the passages 18 or 19. As shown in the drawings, 20 ard 21 ir.- dicate gas supply mains provide d with. branch pipes 22 ai d 23, wlich deliver gas to the outer ends of the chambers or passages 13 and 14 through the end wall of the overstructure.

` The operation of the regenerators ard associated passages is similar in all respects to the operation of like parts described in my said prior application, ard no furtler description of sald paris is necessary here.

The means for cooling the sections of the coking-chambers adjacent to the discharge ends thereof, which vill hereinafter he referred to as the cooling-section, consists of the following parts: Beneath each cooling-section are located two longitudinallyarranged passages 61 and 62, separated from each other by a vertical transverse partition. Connected with the passage 61 by means of the passage 65, provided with a gate-valve 67, is a main air-duct 63. Said air-duct is located below and extends transversely of all the coking-chambers. Said air-duct is conl nected with an air-inlet and receives air unbrick or tile checker-work, such as is used in a regenerator, and its purpose is to keep the air passing therefrom at a uniform temperature, notwithstanding such variations as mayfrom time to time take place in the temperature of the heated air delivered to said chamber. Between the longitudinal chambers or passages 61 and 62, associated with two adjacent coking-chambers in the cooling-section of the oven, are located two longitudinal passages 69 and 70, which communicate with the lower ends of vertical flues or passages 6() 60 in the walls separating said chambers. Said passages 69 and 7 O are separated from each other by a vertical partition-wall 71. The chamber 61 is connected with the chamber 69 by holes or apertures 73, formed in the longitudinal wall between said chambers, and the chamber 62 is connected with the chamber 70 by like holes or apertures 74. The vertical iiues 60 are connected at their upper ends with a horizontal passage 72 in the wall separating two adjacent coking-chambers.

In operation cold air from the air-duct 63 enters the chamber 61 through the passage 65 and passes through the aperture 73 into the chamber 69. From the chamber 69 the air rises through the flues 60 60 above the chamber 69, passes horizontally along the passage 72, and descends through the flues 60 6() above the chamber 70 into said chamber 70. The air during its travel through said flues and passages absorbs heat from the walls of the coking-chamber, and thereby acts to cool the said walls and the coke within the coking-chamber. F rom said chamber 70 the heated air passes through the apertures 74 into the duct 62, thence downward through the passage 66 into the connectingflue 64 and through the passage 7 5 into the hot-air chamber 7 6, located beneath the preheating-chambers.

Now referring to the parts at the receiving end of the oven, these include, in addition to the coal feeding, compressing, and perforating devices, which are like those set forth in my said prior application, a preheating device constructed as follows: 26 indicates a preheating-chamber, such as is described in my said prior application, into which compressed coal is forced by the feeding devices and from which the same is delivered to the receiving end of the coking-chamber- Surrounding the preheating-chamber 26 is a circulating-chamber 36, through which passes the heated air taken from the above-described cooling-passages in the cooling-section of the oven through the passages 75, the hot-air chamber 76, and the passage 77. Said passage 77 enters the circulating-chamber 36 through the bottom wall thereof. The circulating-chamber is provided at its top with exit tubes or pipes 37 37 for the exit of the air from said circulating-chamber.

ICC

The heat derived from said heated air passes l sections joined to each other along the longitudinalicenters of the said chambers. The said circulating-chamber 36 is shown as Water-jacketed, Vbeing surrounded by an exteriorfshell forming a Water-chamber 40. fa-

ter issupplied to said chamber by: means of a Awater-supply main 41, connected with the :ch-amber by meansy ofbranch pipes 42v 42, -a

`waste-pipe 43, connectedwith the water vjacket `40 by lbranch pipesr44, serving to carry away the -water lafterfit has circulated through saidwater-j acket.

.Now referringto the coal-feeding, compresslng, and perforating; devices at tlie -re- :ceiving -zend of the 'oven, these parts, as

4shownzin the drawings, are. like those illustrated in said prior application: and are con- -structed as follows 24. indicates a co alereceiving chamber, and25 .a tapered coal-compressing passage located between and]` connecting the receiving-chamber24 and the preheatingchamber 26. .Said receiving-chamber, the .tapered compressingpassage, and the pre- ,heating-,chamber 26 are'connected with each :other: toyform. a: continuousl` passage, through which thecoal .is advanced. from the receiving-chamber1toithe oven. Atthe topof the .receiving-chamber .24 4is i located an inlet lor ifeed passage-.27, provided witha hopper .2S :and with-,a horizontal slidingvalve or gate 29.

In the -said receiving-chamber is'located .a horizontallyreciprocating plunger 30. Power-actuated `means for giving reciprocatory motion tothe plunger 30 (shownin the drawings)` consist of two i horizontal rods .31, which are attached-.teau upright'crosshead 32, secured to the` center of a doubleended piston or plunger 33,.the opposite ends .of Awhich slide 'in oppositely-arranged hydraulic cylindersf34 and 35, lto which fluid under -pressure fis admitted for advancing v.and retracting the plunger 30.

The. side,top, andbot-tom Walls of: the tapered passage 25 join the corresponding walls of the receiving=chamber 24 'and the preheatingfchamber 26, andthe inclination of said .Walls of the tapered passage is such as to give a desired degree of compression to the mass of coal forced therethrough from .the receivingchamber by the action of -the plunger 30.

Such mass of coal-.in the advanceA movement of the plunger 30'isrforced by said plunger from the receiving-chamber 4through .said passage 25 into the preheating-chamber 26.

Extending from the inner face of the plunger 30 are a plurality of rods 50 50, arranged parallel with each other and parallel with. the

,sides of thereceivirg and preheating cham- Said reds 5U 50 extend'from the face l -6 5 -.of said plungerforwardly through the receivj general eiiect. ...Moreover, sol farastheyheatbers.

ing-chamber 24,the tapered passage 25, and .the preheating-chamber 26. The coal, .which is introduced in pulverized form into the receiving-chamber in advance ofthe plunger, surrounds said rods, .and in .the advance movement of the-plungerthecoal is packed solidly around the rods, so that said rods form in=the mass of coal a plurality of longitudinal passages, openings, or perforations. The mass of coal is forced` through the tapered `passage 25,- inwhich it is compressed or solidified, and the effect ofthe heat 4to-which the said Ymass is .subjected in -the preheatingchamber is to produce coherence between the particles of. coal in themassfso that it retains its solid form when it enters the coking-chamher and-the longitudinal passages or perfora- .tions formed. by saidrodsremain inthe mass after the same 'has been advanced :beyond the free vends of said ro ds.

vIn vcarrying out my-noveL process @bythe ruse: offthe. apparatus described the coal will .be advanced by the action ofthe feeding and .compressing devices in afsolidfori continuous mass through the -preheating-chamber linto. the .receiving end of lthe :coking-chamber. The coking operation willl take place mainly in the part ory sectionofthe coking-chamber adjacent toits receiving end,\which isheated to the-required extent Lby ,the iheating..

means associated therewith, as hereinbefore described. Asfuthe massotmaterial which has .thus been converted .into coke ipasses -throughthe-.part or section of the oven adj acentto its discharge end, as.descfibed,the mass. ofV coke ,is deprivedV off the greatergpart \of its heat thrpughthe circulationaboutzthe walls ofthat part ofl the oven of the airwhich acts as aheat' absorbing1and.transmitting medium. The coke istherefore discharged from .the oven in.-a substantiallyooled condition. The heat absorbed or abstracted .from the coke inithe cooling operation, by the -fair or heat transmitting medium,iwhichis circulated inthe iiues` surroundingthecooling section ofthe oven,is.transferredtozthe preheater and there `utilized forgpreheating ithe. ccalpreparatoryv to its. entranceiinto the coking-chamber. In vother words, `in .my :process thewaste heat from the coking oper ation'is transmitted to theco'al andutilized for-.preheating, so that it is made. available-'in ltheI coking process, withy consequentsaving in expense for fuel and economy the operation as awhole.

.While .Ifhave' showin my novel process;as carriedoutby thefuse. of a coke-oven oithe Otto Hoiimantype, yet thespecilic formof the heating means foreiiectingthe cokingof the-coal and the heat-absorbing.means.for. cooling the coke are not essentialfand other types oi-coking ovens, such as :the .Rothberg, the LKoppers, and the 'Semet- Solvay, may be -employed with zthe same IOO ing or coking operation is concerned, an oven for carrying out my process may be of the regenerative type, as 1n the case of the Otto Hoffman oven, or of the recuperative type, such as the Rothberg and ovens.

I claim as my invention- 1. The process of coking coal Which consists in ap lyinglheat to the coal for the purpose of coling t e same, cooling the coke and transmitting to the coal, rior to the coking operation, heat abstracte from the coke in cooling the same.

2. The process of coking coal Which consists in advancing the coal in a continuous.

mass into a coking-oven, applying heat to the part of said oven adjacent to its receiving end tocoke the coal and circulating a heattransmitting medium in contact With the Walls of the part of said oven adjacent to its discharge end to abstract heat from the coke.

3. Thel process of coldng coal which consists in afllvanci 0* colal in al'lconltinuous 1mass into an e o ate co 'n -c am er, a heat to thenoal in the pgart of said clinihl adjacent to its receiving end, abstracting heat from the coke in the part of said cokingchamber adjacent to its discharge end and transmitting to the coal, prior to lts entrance `into the coking-chamber, heat so abstracted from the coke.

4. The process of coking coal which consists in advancing coal in a continuous mass through a preheating-chamber into an elongated coking-ehamber, apnlyin heat to coke the coal in the part of said co lufr-chamber adjacent to its receiving end, azhstracting i Semet Solvay heat from the coke in the part of said cokingchamber adjacent to its discharge end, and transmitting heat so derived from the coke to the Walls of said preheating-chamber to preheat the coal passing therethrough prior to its introduction into the coking-chamber.

5.' The process of coking coal in a-cokingoven having a preheating-chamber at the receivin end thereof from Which the coal is advance into the oven, which consists in circulating a heat-transmitting medium in contact With the Walls of the oven `in the part thereof adjacent to its discharge end, to abstract heat therefrom, and conducting the heat-transmitting medium into contact with the Walls of Said preheating-chamber.

6. The process of coking coal in a cokingoven provided With a coking-chamber and with a preheating-chamber at the receiving end thereof, Which consists in circulating a heating medium in contact With the Walls of thecoking-chamber in the part thereof adjacent to its receiving end, circulating a heat-transmitting medium in contact with the Walls of said coking-chamber in the part thereof adjacent to its delivery end, and conducting said heatin medium into contact with the Walls of saicpreheating-chamber.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aiix my signature, in the :jresence of two Witnesses, this 24th day of ecember, A. D. 1906.

SAMUEL B. SHELDON.

Witnesses:

A. V. BYAM, A. II. VOGEL. 

